Last month we focused on how Jesus birth
was redemptive for us (if you missed it you can find it here) now we will focus on his
childhood and early ministry.

The persecution
by Herod

This horrific "slaughter of the innocents"
has raised many questions and is a regular "Why" question. "What
sort of a God would allow this - let alone prophesy it?" It is really
a declaration of how bad evil can get. It is a revelation of the depths
to which human megalomania will sink in order to preserve itself. Lets put
it plainly - God did not want those innocent children murdered. His reaction
was to weep. Scripture speaks of Rachel (Jacob's wife and the mother of
Israel) weeping for her children. This is God's heartfelt compassionate
reaction. The slaughter of the innocents was not "God's will"
it was Satanic, dark and murderous. God foretold it but He did not will
it. He revealed it but he did not glory in it. He allowed it but only so
evil could be seen as evil and the more thoroughly condemned.

The action of Herod was the action of someone who was anti the Christ. It
was representative of how the kingdoms of this world must react once they
realize that Christ will demand complete rulership. It sets Christ's kingdom
off from the start as a kingdom of martyrs and suffering saints born into
a world inimically opposed to their existence. As Paul later writes in Romans
"We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered". The innocents
are the first Christian martyrs. They were slaughtered because they might
be the Christ, because they might turn into the Messiah one day. If we grow
in God we will meet opposition from the world that opposes those who "might
be Christ". Paul writes to pastor Timothy "All those who live
godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted". They will not be persecuted
by everyone but they will meet stern resistance from those who are grasping
on to worldly power.

How can such as awful deed have any redemptive
significance? By itself it has none. Only in Christ and the resurrection
of the dead does it redeem innocent suffering. The purposeless mad rages
of evil, the "ethnic cleansing", the horrible butchering of innocent
women and children that occurs every year around the globe. They are not
forgotten. God weeps for them and interestingly "refuses to be comforted"
this is no normal tragedy to be gradually forgotten. It will be always remembered
in the heart of God. He will never be comforted or consoled until justice
is finally done on behalf of those who have suffered the ravages of pointless
evil.

The Flight Into
Egypt

This is a reworking of the Exodus "out
of Egypt have I called my Son". The son being first of all Israel and
now the Messiah who is the head of Israel and its historical recapitulation.
Egypt represents bondage and the security of this world. "Out of Egypt"
is a journeying lifestyle , the lifestyle of the heroes of faith who were
"searching for a another city, a city not of this world". In Christ
we are freed from this world to journey into the next. In Christ we can
transcend our bondages and come into the glorious freedom of the children
of God.

The Stay In Nazareth

Here we see the Son of God growing in stature
and in favor with God and man. Growth was part of his life and ours. There
is no Scriptural evidence for Jesus performing miracles before His baptism.
He grew as young boys grow - but without sin. Learning, instruction, boyhood,
not instant perfection was the way of the Messiah and our path as well.

Bar Mitzvah - The
Redemption of Precocious Teenagers!

At 12 Jesus was outstanding - a "young
Einstein". He astonished the Rabbis with his questions and with his
insight into the Law. He was also learning to be independent. I remember
these precocious, independent years well, they were probably the most enjoyable
of my life. His poor perplexed parents driven to distraction by their son
who was having a great time being the focus of attention in the temple!
His answer "Did you not know that I would be in my Father's house?"
would have got me a clip around the ear or a scolding. Joseph and Mary just
seem relieved that He was safe and somewhat proud of this difficult and
extraordinary child.

Jesus had done his Bar Mitzvah and taken his place as a male in Jewish society.
He was now a "son of the law". He could have stood aloof and independent
from his parents but he chose to "remain in submission to them".
Here is a model teenager -working out His independence and "distance"
from His parents - yet remaining in submission to them, and without sin.
Jesus was once a teenager - and He grew up OK. By living through those years
He took them and all their turmoil into the Godhead and sanctified them.
He redeemed teenagers from two curses - over-dependence on home - Jesus was
no mother's boy. And arrogance - for He was in submission.

This article may be freely reproduced for
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in your ministry, e-mail the editor, John Edmiston at johned@aibi.ph.